PBS NewsHour - Science: Recent Episodes
PBS NewsHour
Listen to PBS NewsHour science reporting published every Wednesday by 9 p.m. Featuring reports from Miles O'Brien, Nsikan Akpan and the rest of our science crew, we take on topics ranging from the future of 3-D printing to power of placebo drugs. Is this not what you're looking for? Don't miss our other podcasts for our full shows, individual segments, Brooks and Capehart, Brief but Spectacular, Politics Monday and more. Find them in iTunes or in your favorite podcasting app. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, has released a free artificial intelligence tool. The release was accompanied by a 14-page essay from CEO Mark Zuckerberg championing his view of how AI could transform our world and what protections are required. William Brangham discussed more with Mike Isaac of The New York Times. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
New satellites are being used in Greece to help fight another vicious wildfire season there. The technology is helping crews spot and contain fires. Special correspondent Malcolm Brabant reports from the town of Mati, near Athens. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
A four-ton upper stage of a SpaceX rocket is believed to have hit the moon at 5,400 mph. The SpaceX rocket launched a pair of lunar landers last year, but the company's scientists say a combination of solar activity and gravity put it on a collision course with the moon. Geoff Bennett discussed larger concerns about lunar litter with science correspondent Miles O'Brien. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
One of the deadliest forms of cancer for women may not start where we once believed. Researchers now know nearly all fatal ovarian cancers begin in the fallopian tubes, not the ovaries. Stephanie Sy discusses with Dr. Rebecca Stone, a professor in the Johns Hopkins Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, how this understanding is important for patient care. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
This year is becoming one of the worst for U.S. wildfires in at least a decade. There have been more fires and more acreage burned at this point in the year compared to any in the last ten. With fire seasons growing longer, early detection is critical. Special correspondent Ben Tracy of Climate Central reports on how AI is being used to spot fires faster. It's part of our series, Tipping Point. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
A new program in Charlotte, North Carolina, is using the arts to tackle loneliness and social isolation. Paul Solman reports on prescriptions for art instead of medicine for our series at the intersection of art and health, part of our CANVAS coverage. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
A weaponized biological pathogen could be "man's last invention' according to Annie Jacobsen, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and New York Times bestselling author. Jacobsen sits down with Geoff Bennett to discuss her latest book, Biological War: A Scenario - which examines how deadly pathogens that have been weaponized could lead to a civilization-ending event. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
Firefighters are battling a series of blazes that began this weekend in Washington state and are continuing to burn in and around Spokane, the state's second most populous city. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced and hundreds of buildings have been destroyed. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
Birds are not only wondrous creatures that live amongst us, they're also an essential part of life on Earth – helping grow food, keeping pests at bay and spreading seeds. But more than half of migratory bird populations are declining globally. Horizons moderator William Brangham explores the threats birds are facing with ornithologist Peter Marra of the Earth Commons at Georgetown University. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
After years of battles over its use — and a long-running drought — states that rely on the Colorado River are facing the prospect of further cutbacks. Years of gridlock among the states prompted the federal government to step in. A new blueprint lays out new requirements for managing the shrinking river. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien explains what's at stake for our series, Tipping Point. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the face of America's COVID response, repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right before a Senate committee on Wednesday. The hearing, chaired by Republican Sen. Rand Paul, was meant to probe the origins of COVID-19 and whether Fauci misled Congress and the public. Fauci called Paul's pursuit of him an "unhinged obsession." Ali Rogin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
Crews are battling to control wildfires that have spread rapidly across parts of Europe, forcing the evacuation of more than 330,000 people in France, Spain and Portugal. Fifteen deaths have been reported and nearly half a million acres have burned. The scope and speed of the fires are pushing emergency response systems to their limits. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Ciaran Nugent. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
A new report is detailing the impact of cuts to USAID and the program known as PEPFAR, which has been credited with saving over 26 million lives since 2003. The study from the HIV/AIDS non-profit amfAR found that more than 1,700 treatment sites have closed in the wake of funding cuts. William Brangham discussed more with Dr. Atul Gawande, the assistant administrator of USAID under President Biden. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
Public health concerns are widening as cyclosporiasis cases surge and a salmonella outbreak across 17 states has many Americans raising concerns about U.S. food safety. Back-to-back cases where people are getting sick from food have put many on edge. William Brangham discussed the concerns with Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
For millions of women, uterine fibroids not only cause painful symptoms, but the diagnosis can bring more questions than answers. Even though most women will develop them, misconceptions remain about who gets them and how they should be treated. Horizons moderator William Brangham explores fibroids and treatment with Dr. Soyini Hawkins and Sateria Venable. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
Last week, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy dismissed his tech-savvy defense minister. That sparked protests among supporters who credit him with helping transform Ukraine's defense capabilities. Special correspondent Simon Ostrovsky and producer Katia Patin report on the technologies and policies that helped drive that transformation. A warning: this story includes graphic descriptions of war. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
Prosthetics designed to blend in as replacements for missing body parts are becoming tools for creative expression. This is especially true in the community of ocular prosthetics, or artificial eyes. Jeffrey Brown meets a Portland eye maker whose designs are helping clients see themselves in a new light. It's for our coverage of the intersection of health and arts, part of our CANVAS series. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
An FDA advisory committee began a two-day meeting to consider lifting a ban and widening access to seven popular peptides. They have seen a surge of support from wellness influencers and others, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Dr. Dhruv Khullar, who wrote the New Yorker article, "Why Are People Injecting Themselves with Peptides?" PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
Breakthroughs in Chinese AI models are sending shockwaves through Washington and Silicon Valley. Chinese companies are narrowing the AI gap despite vast differences in computing power and resources. It comes as the White House is planning to redirect billions in funding from universities to individuals in a bid to accelerate AI innovation. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Amrith Ramkumar. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
Artificial intelligence is fueling stock market highs, economic growth and a construction boom across the country. But it is also igniting fierce local debates about the benefits, the costs and whether the data centers that power AI should be built at all. Economics correspondent Paul Solman looks at how one of those battles is playing out in the Midwest. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
Federal officials are still trying to determine the source of a multistate outbreak linked to lettuce. There may be more than 7,000 cases of cyclosporiasis nationwide. The FDA said that a lettuce sample from Taylor Farms that was initially reported as positive for cyclospora was actually a false positive. William Brangham discussed more with Dr. Katelyn Jetelina of Your Local Epidemiologist. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
Alcohol is a product so tightly woven into our society that we struggle to see what it's really doing to us. Despite documented links between alcohol and cancer, heart and liver disease, over half of all drinkers think their own consumption doesn't raise their risk for serious health problems. Horizons mo derator William Brangham explores more with Lev Facher, Marissa Esser and Priscilla Martinez. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
More than 115 million people may be exposed to dangerous smoke and unhealthy air quality levels. That's because wildfire smoke is spreading and triggering health advisories in at least 17 states from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic. It's led to flight delays, the closure of pools and beaches, and the cancellation of many other outdoor activities. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
One of the biggest concerns about artificial intelligence is how children and teens use it daily. Critics say the tech companies are not doing enough to protect children, can't be trusted and argue more regulation is needed. The Omidyar Network, a tech philanthropic firm, is out with a new approach of its own. Geoff Bennett discussed more with CEO Michele Jawando. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
From the American Revolution to today, conspiracy theories have been part of the American story in ways that may surprise us. In this episode of Judy Woodruff's "In Pursuit of Happiness," she sits down with Jesse Walker, author of "The United States of Paranoia: A Conspiracy Theory," to explore how conspiracy theories take shape -- and what they tell us about who we are. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida but towns hundreds of miles from the coast have seen some of the worst destruction. Communities once considered 'climate havens' are facing a harsh reality, there may be no such thing. William Brangham discussed the impacts of a warming world and what individuals and communities can do with Alex Steffen, writer of the newsletter, "The Snap Forward." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The kind of deep-sea mining that we've examined this week is only legally permitted inside a country's territorial waters. The only country on earth to allow it so far is Papua New Guinea. Videographer Edward Kiernan and special correspondent Willem Marx report on how difficult it is for the impoverished Pacific nation to monitor deep-sea mining activities. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The companies that create technology used on a daily basis often run into traditional cultures and the environment that sustains them. In a previous report, videographer Edward Kiernan and special correspondent Willem Marx introduced us to the new and potentially lucrative industry of deep-sea mining. They return to Papua New Guinea and report on locals fighting to save a vanishing way of life. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Mankind has mined the earth's surface for thousands of years. Now there's a furious race to find even more metal that will enable the world's energy transition away from fossil fuels. In Papua New Guinea, one company is digging what may become the world's first operational deep-sea mining site. Videographer Edward Kiernan and special correspondent Willem Marx report. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
A four-person crew of civilians launched Tuesday morning on a private Space-X rocket for a five-day mission to include the first commercial spacewalk in history. NASA has big plans to send people to the Moon and Mars, but a sweeping new report from the National Academies of Sciences raises questions about the agency. Science Correspondent Miles O'Brien reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Wisconsin is coming back from its worst drought in decades. Along with unusually high temperatures, it's affected wildlife in and around the state's rivers. While spring rains ended the drought, recovery in some places has been slow. PBS Wisconsin's Nathan Denzin reports on one species that's been hit particularly hard. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In Southern California's Tijuana River Estuary, a blind scientist is leading a tour that encourages visitors to experience nature a little differently. He introduces visitors to the native plants with an emphasis on the other four senses besides sight. This story was produced by Kori Suzuki and Carolyn Cor-Ellis of KPBS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
NASA's initial launch with the Boeing Starliner capsule has not worked out well. The space agency announced this weekend it has finally decided the two astronauts stuck at the International Space Station will come back on a SpaceX Dragon capsule next year. The pair were initially sent on an eight-day mission in early June. Amna Nawaz discussed the latest with science correspondent Miles O'Brien. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Rising waters due to climate change and erosion are diminishing the landmass of Tangier Island, Virginia, a tiny speck of land in the Chesapeake Bay, and threatening a centuries-old culture fostered by the island's isolation. PBS News Student Reporting Labs' Sabrina Tomei reports on how the community is trying to restore their land and preserve their history and traditions. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
From defunct satellites to rocket parts, debris from everything humans have launched into space since the 1950s is orbiting the Earth. That space junk is threatening our technology, both up there and down here. Marcus Holzinger, a professor of aerospace engineering at University of Colorado Boulder, joins Laura Barrón-López to discuss what's at stake. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Scientists say much of the persistent and dangerous heat blanketing wide swaths of the country is a long-term result of greenhouse gas emissions. Climate scientist Kristina Dahl joins John Yang to discuss how it's affecting everything from the power grid to trains, planes and automobiles. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Among greenhouse gases, methane is more harmful than carbon dioxide in terms of trapping heat. According to the United Nations, about 32 percent of human-caused methane emissions comes from livestock. Ali Rogin speaks with Ben Lilliston at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy to learn more about Denmark's new and controversial approach to reducing these emissions. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
As hurricanes grow stronger and more common due to climate change, they raise new threats for island nations -- not just to infrastructure, but also to artifacts and documents that help define cultures. Now, two island nations in the Atlantic and the Pacific are taking steps to preserve their threatened histories for future generations. Ali Rogin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Fewer than 300 human beings have visited the International Space Station, and an even smaller number have spent more than 150 days living there. John Yang speaks with Cady Coleman, one of those select few astronauts, about her new book, 'Sharing Space: An Astronaut's Guide to Mission, Wonder, and Making Change.' PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Google announced this week it is well behind on a pledge to all but eliminate its net carbon emissions by 2030. The company's greenhouse gas outflow has increased in recent years mainly due to artificial intelligence and the energy required to power it. The AI arms race has experts worried about its climate consequences for energy and water. Economics correspondent Paul Solman reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
A major issue in Britain's general election is the cost of living crisis, caused by spiking inflation following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. That has put pressure on the country's pledge, written into law, to become carbon neutral by 2050. Fred de Sam Lazaro reports from Aberdeen, Scotland, in partnership with the Pulitzer Center. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In the past two decades, the oyster population in Mississippi's Gulf waters has been devastated by both natural and manmade disasters. Among those working to restore oyster habitats is ninth grader Demi Johnson, who was recently recognized by the National Geographic Society for growing more than 1,000 oysters, which are likely to spawn millions more. John Yang speaks with Johnson about her work. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The rise of artificial intelligence is requiring faster and bigger computations for even simple tasks compared to, say, a Google search. It's adding to the demand for more internet data centers, but these facilities come at a big environmental cost, especially for the communities that host them. Science journalist Sachi Kitajima Mulkey joins Ali Rogin to discuss. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu called Biden's proposal to end the war in Gaza a "nonstarter" until Israel's conditions are met, a barrage of Russian missiles and drones targeted Ukraine's power grid, South Africa's ANC party lost its majority in parliament for the first time in 30 years, and another attempt to launch Boeing's first astronaut flight was called off. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Nearly 115,000 people are currently waiting for a new organ. But the shortage crisis is nothing new, as 5,600 people die each year waiting for an organ. Ali Rogin spoke with Barry Friedman, the former executive director of the AdventHealth Transplant Institute, about what can be done to revamp the nation's organ donation and transplant process. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
As the planet warms and sea levels rise, eighty-five percent of Generation Z is concerned about climate change, according to a January Marist poll. In response, states like California, Connecticut and New Jersey are teaching kids about climate change in the classroom. Lauren Madden, a professor of elementary science education at the College of New Jersey, joins Laura Barrón-López to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The outbreak of bird flu in the U.S. has alarmed researchers and prompted new efforts to track the virus that's already killed millions of birds from Europe to Antarctica. As H5N1 continues to jump into mammals, many scientists are concerned that we're not watching closely enough as this virus spreads. William Brangham reports. A warning: This story contains scenes of animals in distress. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Saturday, Israel issued more evacuation orders forcing tens of thousands of Palestinians to flee Rafah, Russian forces took control of five villages outside Kharkiv amid a renewed offensive in Ukraine's northeast, flash floods in Afghanistan, Brazil and Kenya have killed hundreds of people, and unusually strong solar storms are producing brilliant northern lights on Earth. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
To most people, the sun is a steady, never-changing source of heat and light. But to scientists, it's a dynamic star, constantly in flux, sending energy out into space. Experts say the sun is now in its most active period in two decades, causing potential disruptions to radio and satellite communications. John Yang speaks with Bill Murtagh of NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center to learn more. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
New research is revealing the secrets of Io, the mysterious volcanic moon of Jupiter. Four centuries after Galileo discovered Io in 1610, NASA sent a spacecraft called Juno on a five-year mission to Jupiter and its moons. Last week, NASA released animated artists' conceptions of Io based on data Juno collected during two flybys. John Yang reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Data shows that global levels of the three main heat-trapping greenhouse gases -- carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide -- all reached record highs in 2023 for the second year in the row, and experts say there's no end in sight. But a new book, 'H Is for Hope,' says there is reason for hope in the fight against climate change. William Brangham speaks with its author, Elizabeth Kolbert. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Millions of people on Monday watched a rare total eclipse cut across the U.S., Mexico and Canada, plunging some towns and cities into darkness for several minutes. In many other places it was a chance to view a partial eclipse. Miles O'Brien, who witnessed the spectacle from Dallas, has our report. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
More than 2 billion people, about a third of the world's population, face food insecurity. At the same time, a recent UN report estimated that more than 1 billion metric tons of food went to waste in 2022, enough to give each person facing hunger around the world more than one meal a day. Ali Rogin speaks with Dana Gunders, executive director of ReFED, to learn more. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
While the U.S. has made great progress improving air quality in recent decades, air pollution is still a driver of many serious health conditions both domestically and globally. According to a new report, only seven countries met the World Health Organization's air quality guidelines for pollution in 2023. Glory Dolphin Hammes, North American CEO for IQAir, joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
On Jekyll Island off the Georgia coast, some sea turtles and people who care about their survival marked a small victory on Thursday. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center teamed up with volunteers from Northeast aquariums and conservation groups to move 33 Kemp's ridley sea turtles and one green sea turtle to warmer southeastern waters where they can thrive. John Yang reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
We're less than three days away from the total solar eclipse that will be seen in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Monday's eclipse will cut across 13 states with more than 30 million people living in the path of totality while millions more are traveling to get a good look. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien and astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson have a viewer's guide on what you need to know. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
An annual, celebrated event took place this past week in Washington, D.C., and it didn't have anything to do with politics. It's known as peak bloom, the day 70 percent of blossoms are open on Washington's iconic cherry trees around the Tidal Basin. But for 158 of the trees, this year will be their last bloom. John Yang reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Kevlar is a fiber that's stronger than steel, and it's revolutionized everything from military and police body armor to sports equipment. For our "Hidden Histories" series this Women's History Month, we learn about Stephanie Kwolek, the pioneering researcher who invented Kevlar in 1965. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The world produces an average of 430 million metric tons of plastic each year. The United States alone produces tens of millions of tons of plastic waste annually. Yet on average, only about 5 to 6 percent of plastic in the U.S. is recycled. NPR correspondent Michael Copley joins Ali Rogin to discuss a new report on the plastic industry's tactics to push recycling and avoid regulation. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Environmental efforts to protect sharks in recent years have resulted in a huge increase in the great white shark population off the New England coast. It's a conservation success story, with potentially unnerving implications for beachgoers. Rhode Island PBS Weekly's David Wright reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The new season of PBS NewsHour's Student Reporting Labs podcast "On Our Minds" is underway. In this episode of the series that focuses on mental health challenges among young people, Bree Campbell and James Kim speak with U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The northern white rhinoceros is one of the world's biggest animals, and one of the most endangered. Only two are known to be alive, both female. But scientific breakthroughs are raising hopes for saving the rhino and perhaps even bringing other animals back from extinction. John Yang reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Amid underwater mountains off the coast of Chile, scientists believe they've discovered 100 or so new species with the aid of a robot capable of diving more than 14,000 feet. Researchers say it demonstrates how the Chilean government's ocean protections are bolstering biodiversity and providing a model for other countries. John Yang reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
According to a paper published this past week in the journal Nature Astronomy, scientists found what could be the brightest known object in the universe: a quasar produced by a massive and voracious black hole. It's estimated to be emitting light that's 500 trillion times more intense than Earth's sun. John Yang has more. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The realism of AI-generated video is one of the more remarkable, and potentially scary, developments we've seen so far with the technology. Oren Etzioni studies artificial intelligence and is the founder of truemedia.org, an organization that fights against AI-based disinformation. Etzioni joined William Brangham to discuss the future of AI. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
According to data from the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, 2023 was a record year for launching satellites, probes, landers and more into space. But scientists worry those plumes of exhaust trailing behind rockets could be scattering harmful pollutants into the pristine upper layers of the atmosphere. John Yang speaks with freelance science journalist Shannon Hall to learn more. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Coral reef ecosystems support a quarter of all marine life on Earth, but they are slowly dying under the relentless stresses of overfishing, pollution, disease and climate change. As part of our ongoing series "Saving Species," William Brangham dives into the steps that scientists are taking to try to preserve the corals that remain. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Heman Bekele spent the last year developing a bar of soap that could treat skin cancer. It was the winning entry at the annual 3M Young Scientist Challenge, considered one of the top science and engineering competitions for fifth through eighth graders. For our Weekend Spotlight, John Yang speaks with Bekele about his work. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Thursday, former Trump adviser Peter Navarro was sentenced to four months in federal prison for contempt of Congress, the U.S. economy is showing more signs of surprising resilience thanks to robust consumer spending and the Hamas-run health ministry reported an Israeli strike killed 20 people waiting for food in Gaza. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The number of brown and rainbow trout in some of Montana's best-known and most scenic fishing rivers is at historic lows. With experts at a loss to explain it, state agencies, fishermen, businesses and concerned citizens are all trying to find answers. Montana PBS's Joe Lesar reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
From takeout containers to water bottles, plastic seems unavoidable in our daily lives. Now, two new studies have found that we're eating and drinking more plastic than we might have realized. George Leonard, a co-author of one of the studies and chief scientist at Ocean Conservancy, joins John Yang to discuss the findings. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Sunday, Secretary of State Blinken continued his urgent mission to the Middle East as the Israel-Hamas war enters its fourth month, Defense Secretary Austin took responsibility for delays in disclosing his hospitalization, major winter storms dropped snow in the Northeast and the West, and a rocket launch Monday aims to land the first U.S. craft on the moon in more than 50 years. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
When President Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act into law 50 years ago, one of the first on the endangered list was the black-footed ferret, North America's rarest animal. Once thought to be extinct, they are making their way back thanks to the work of dedicated conservationists. John Yang reports on some of that work for our ongoing series, "Saving Species." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
When arctic ground squirrels hibernate for the winter, they can lower their body temperatures to freezing levels and stay dormant for up to eight months. Researchers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks are studying how these animals survive on the edge of life and the clues they may hold to treating injuries and disease in humans. Alaska Public Media's Kavitha George reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Saturday, Vice President Harris pledged $3 billion at COP28 to a global fund to help poorer nations adapt to climate change, a protestor is in critical condition after setting themself on fire outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta, and record amounts of snow has dropped on much of Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and Switzerland. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
At COP28 on Saturday, 50 oil and gas companies -- including industry giants ExxonMobil, Shell and BP -- pledged to reduce methane emissions to "near zero" by 2030. At the same time, the Biden administration announced new rules to enforce major elements of the agreement in the U.S. Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund, joins John Yang to discuss the importance of this deal. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Africa is the continent most vulnerable to climate change, despite being responsible for just 2 to 3 percent of global carbon emissions and receiving only 3 percent of funding committed to climate mitigation and adaptation. Caroline Kimeu, The Guardian's East Africa global development correspondent, joins Ali Rogin to discuss Africa's first climate summit held this week in Kenya and its outcomes. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Invasive species harm ecosystems around the world and cost the global economy $423 billion a year, according to a new report backed by the UN. A number of researchers believe that estimate may be just the tip of the iceberg. William Brangham speaks with one of the study's authors, Laura Meyerson of the University of Rhode Island, about the ways invasive species affect us. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
There has been an alarming number of near-miss collisions between airplanes according to an investigation by The New York Times. In a review of FAA reports and a NASA database, the Times found there were at least 46 close calls involving commercial flights in July and runway incursions are 25 percent higher than a decade ago. Geoff Bennett discussed more with aviation correspondent Miles O'Brien. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Saturday, three U.S. Marines died in an aircraft crash in Australia, Florida is bracing for Tropical Storm Idalia heading toward the state, Russia confirmed that Yevgeny Prigozhin died in Wednesday's plane crash outside Moscow, and hundreds of volunteers and researchers converged in Scotland to search for signs of the mythical Loch Ness Monster. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The effects of climate change have been hard to miss across North America and Europe this summer: record heat, wildfires and warming oceans. There are also other, less obvious consequences that affect both the quantity and quality of food crops. Climate change scientist Jonas Jägermeyr joins John Yang to explain the relationship between climate change and global food supply. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Saturday, FIFA suspended Spain's soccer federation head Luis Rubiales for 90 days while it investigates his conduct at the Women's World Cup final, a new crew of astronauts launched for the International Space Station, thousands gathered at the Lincoln Memorial to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington, and Bob Barker has died at the age of 99. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Sunday, the Maui wildfire is now the deadliest in the U.S. in more than a century as search efforts continue and the death toll keeps rising, at least 21 people died in a mudslide and flash flood in western China, Russian shelling killed 7 people in Ukraine's southern Kherson region, and the annual Perseids meteor shower peaked overnight. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The extreme sport of freediving is growing in popularity and interest. A new Netflix documentary called "The Deepest Breath" goes inside the high-risk sport, following freedivers Alessia Zecchini and Stephen Keenan. Director Laura McGann joins John Yang to discuss the film. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
As temperature records fall all over the planet this summer, scientists are also increasingly concerned about what's happening to the sea ice around Antarctica. William Brangham reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Living in certain parts of a city can make the impacts of extreme heat worse. That's because of a phenomenon called the urban heat island effect. A recent report by the research group Climate Central showed that more than 40 million Americans live in these hot spots. William Brangham discussed what this means for those residents with Michael Mendez of the University of California, Irvine. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Right whales are a majestic sight to behold off the eastern coast of North America, but they are endangered and their numbers are shrinking. Many conservationists say fishing gear that causes entanglements is a big part of the problem. But lobster harvesters fear they may be driven out of business by pressure to change their practices even further. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Saturday, scientists say the first two weeks of July were the planet's hottest on human record as intense heat waves grip places around the globe, Ukraine says its drones hit an ammunition depot in Crimea after days of deadly Russian strikes on Ukrainian port cities, and the U.S. women's soccer team beat Vietnam 3-0 in its first game of the 2023 World Cup. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The nation remains at the mercy of nature, but nature is showing no mercy with 100 degree heat stretching from the far West across the Deep South. It comes as a weekend deluge in the Northeast washed out roads and claimed lives. Geoff Bennett discussed the extreme heat in California with Wade Crowfoot, the secretary of the state's natural resources agency. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Wednesday marks a year since the world first started seeing spectacular images of the cosmos that were captured by the powerful James Webb Space Telescope. But getting those images is only part of the important work being done by the $10 billion telescope. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In New England, a storm for the ages has ravaged Vermont. There've been no reported deaths or injuries, but parts of the state capital are under water and property damage could reach the tens of millions of dollars. Geoff Bennett reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Tens of millions of people living in the Southwest are dealing with what the National Weather Service says it's one of the longest heat waves in modern record. That extreme heat is even more dangerous than some might realize. Geoff Bennett discussed that with Jeff Goodell, a climate journalist and author of "The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Extreme weather is making an impact from one end of the country to the other. Ferocious heat and heavy rains persisted Monday and millions of Americans were left to cope and clean up. Stephanie Sy reports on flooding in the eastern U.S. and discusses the streak of 110-plus-degree days in Phoenix with David Hondula. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Saturday, Ukraine marked 500 days since the start of Russia's invasion, Sudanese officials say at least 22 people died in an airstrike in Omdurman, a small business jet crash in Southern California killed at least 6 people, and more dangerous temperatures are forecast for much of the South and Southwest. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The latest legal battle over the Affordable Care Act centers on its mandate that private insurers cover preventive services, including drugs that prevent HIV infection. The retail price of those drugs can be as much as $6,000 for a 90-day supply, putting it out of reach for many who would benefit from it. The 19th News' health reporter Shefali Luthra joins John Yang to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
It has been a week of record-breaking heat around the world. The average global temperature on Wednesday hit 62.9 degrees Fahrenheit, matching the record-high set just on Tuesday. The grim milestones are the latest in a series of climate change driven extremes. Amna Nawaz discussed these events and what to take from them with Mike Flannigan of Thompson Rivers University. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Albert Einstein theorized that as heavy objects move through space and time, they create ripple effects in the fabric of our universe. Now an international team of scientists have detected new evidence of that. Researchers found new signs of gravitational waves that are affected by huge movements such as the collision of black holes. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien breaks it down. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Sunday, more than 40 million people are expected to experience dangerous heat in the southern U.S., and the Coast Guard announced that it ended search and rescue operations for the Titan submersible and is shifting its priority to recovering the vessel's remnants from the ocean floor. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed Thursday the missing submersible in the North Atlantic Ocean was destroyed in a "catastrophic implosion." Its debris was found on the ocean floor near the Titanic and all five people aboard were killed. William Brangham discussed the accident and what it could mean going forward with Jules Jaffe of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The search for the missing submersible in the North Atlantic Ocean intensified Wednesday. The day began with a surprise, reports of banging noises detected by sonar. The U.S. Coast Guard said it is still treating the mission as a search and rescue operation even as the supply of oxygen is likely dwindling for the five people aboard. Amna Nawaz reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Search operations are underway for a submersible that carries paying tourists to view the wreckage of the Titanic. The five-person craft is owned by OceanGate Expeditions and was reported overdue Sunday. It disappeared near where the Titanic went down in 1912 after hitting an iceberg. Geoff Bennett discussed the search effort with Kristin Romey of National Geographic. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The ocean is rapidly heating up, hitting record-breaking levels. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that ocean surface temperatures spiked in April and May to the highest levels recorded since the 1950s. All this could have dangerous consequences for aquatic life, hurricane activity and global weather patterns. Amna Nawaz discussed what's happening with Kevin Trenberth. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
A small group of orcas is causing a lot of damage to boats off the Iberian Peninsula. Last month, killer whales rammed a boat continuously for over an hour, managing to remove the rudder. In another incident, three orcas repeatedly struck a yacht causing it to sink. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
As the climate crisis worsens, so does pressure on wildlife. The number of birds in North America has declined by 3 billion in the last 50 years. Brooke Bateman, director of climate science at the National Audubon Society, joins Ali Rogin to discuss why and what can be done to preserve and renew the populations of bird species at risk of extinction. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Saturday, Trump spoke on the campaign trail a day after his federal indictment was unsealed, Ted Kaczynski died in federal prison, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said his country's counteroffensive against Russia has begun, skies over the East Coast have started clearing of smoke from Canada's wildfires, and four children were found alive 40 days after a plane crash in the Amazon. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
A heavy pall of polluted air still blankets much of the eastern U.S and it may not dissipate for days as fires in Canada send vast curtains of smoke south. The bad air has officials warning that breathing it can be hazardous to your health. It's also scrambling schedules from airports to schools to the White House. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Hundreds of wildfires continue to burn across Canada and many of them are out of control. The smoke is putting millions of Americans under air quality alerts, prompting warnings to stay indoors to avoid exposure to pollution. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Dr. Joe Dituri, also known as Dr. Deep-Sea, has been living underwater for more than 75 days, breaking previous records and aiming to reach 100. Dr. Dituri fills his days with science and outreach in an effort to raise awareness about the value of the oceans. Nicole Ellis reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
As plastic waste piles up in the world's landfills, sewer systems and oceans, the United Nations has set a goal to reduce plastic pollution by 80 percent by the year 2040. Inger Andersen, head of the United Nations Environment Programme, joins William Brangham to discuss the upcoming negotiations over how to realize this goal. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Supreme Court has again weakened the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency. The case involved the EPA blocking an Idaho couple from building a house near a lake on their property, saying the construction would pollute water protected by the Clean Water Act. William Brangham discussed the case with Coral Davenport. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
AI is finding its place in all sorts of scientific fields, and health care is no exception. Programs are learning to answer patients' medical questions and diagnose illnesses, but there are problems to be worked out. Dr. Isaac Kohane, editor-in-chief of the New England Journal of Medicine AI and chair of Harvard's department of biomedical informatics, joins John Yang to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In Louisiana, coastal erosion is claiming an average amount of land equivalent to a football field every hour. Some Native American communities in the southeastern part of the state are the hardest hit. Special correspondent Megan Thompson brings us the story of three Indigenous communities fighting to save their tribal lands. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Artificial intelligence was a focus on Capitol Hill Tuesday. Many believe AI could revolutionize, and perhaps upend, considerable aspects of our lives. At a Senate hearing, some said AI could be as momentous as the industrial revolution and others warned it's akin to developing the atomic bomb. William Brangham discussed that with Gary Marcus, who was one of those who testified before the Senate. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Parts of the United States have recently been getting glimpses of the northern lights. John Yang and science correspondent Miles O'Brien discussed why this spectacle in the skies is now being seen further south. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
At a time when the public teaching of science is again being fought over, the largest museum of natural history in the U.S. just extended its reach. Jeffrey Brown got a look inside the American Museum of Natural History's stunning new expansion in New York for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
It's been an exciting time for astronomers, astrophysicists and other scientists who specialize in deciphering the far reaches of space. Since the beginning of May, observations of some never-before-seen celestial events have been reported in science journals. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien joins John Yang to explain the latest findings. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
This Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we're highlighting people whose contributions have often been overlooked. Tonight, we explore the legacy of Kalpana Chawla, the first American of Indian descent to travel to space, who gave her life in the pursuit of research, science and exploration. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Oranges have long been synonymous with Florida, as a key element of the state's economy. But this year, Florida projects the worst citrus harvest since the Great Depression, threatening a way of life for many. William Brangham reports on what's driving the decline and who is affected. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Environmental Protection Agency laid out its latest move to cut the greenhouse gasses that are driving climate change, unveiling a sweeping new set of guidelines for the power plants that generate America's electricity. William Brangham reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
This has been a week where concerns over the rapidly expanding use of artificial intelligence resonated loudly in Washington and around the world. Geoffrey Hinton, one of the leading voices in the field of AI, announced he was quitting Google over his worries about what AI could eventually lead to if unchecked. Hinton discussed those concerns with Geoff Bennett. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
While flooding along the Mississippi River happens every year, water levels are surging this year thanks to record snow across the Midwest that's been followed by a sudden thaw. William Brangham reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Demand for electric vehicles is growing and a new report forecasts that one out of every five vehicles sold worldwide this year will be electric. But charging those vehicles and getting the power you need when you want it can be more complicated. Science Correspondent Miles O'Brien found that out for himself on a road trip in California. He reports in conjunction with Nova's "Chasing Carbon Zero." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
As technology grows more sophisticated, so does the potential for deception. Last month, images went viral that purported to show police arresting Donald Trump and the former president in an orange prisoner's jumpsuit -- but they were fakes. Jack Stubbs, vice president of intelligence at Graphika, a research firm that studies online disinformation, joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
New research shows that climate change is causing the Earth's ice sheets to shrink much faster than previously thought -- the annual rate of sea ice loss has more than tripled since the 1990s. In the Arctic, melting ice is raising geopolitical tensions, kickstarting a global race for potentially priceless minerals, oil deposits and shipping routes. Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
According to scientists, 80 percent of the Earth's living species are unknown to humans. Even as more are identified, more are disappearing -- and sometimes, we don't know what's being lost until it's too late. This Earth Day, we begin our series "Saving Species" with a look at the world of plants. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
New research shows that the massive ice sheets at the top and bottom of our planet are shrinking much faster than previously thought. The international study compiled satellite measurements over time and depict what one researcher described as a "devastating trajectory." William Brangham discussed the implications of the analysis with Twila Moon of the National Snow and Ice Data Center. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Thursday, Elon Musk's SpaceX launched the first test flight of Starship, its 400-foot rocket meant to one day send people to the moon, and eventually, Mars. The most powerful rocket ever built blasted off from its launch base in Texas but exploded roughly four minutes into its flight. Musk says the next launch attempt will be in a few months. Science Correspondent Miles O'Brien reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Jennifer Doudna is a Nobel laureate in chemistry and professor of biochemistry, biophysics and structural biology at the University of California, Berkeley. She has been a pioneer in CRISPR gene editing and continues to revolutionize research in her field. Doudna shares her Brief But Spectacular take on the future of CRISPR. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
For the first time, the UN's International Court of Justice has been tasked with determining what countries are obligated to do to fight climate change. William Brangham reports on the young people who were instrumental in bringing this issue to the world's top court. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Biden administration rolled out its most aggressive effort yet to combat climate change with tougher emissions limits for cars and trucks. But several challenges remain, including the cost of electric cars, the batteries and how to charge them on the road. William Brangham reports on the proposed regulations. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The low-lying nation of Bangladesh suffers disproportionately from climate change, despite producing just 0.5 percent of the world's carbon emissions. It's also creating innovative ways to predict and protect against climate-driven disasters, and discovering new ways to build resilience using natural resources. NPR international correspondent Lauren Frayer joins Ali Rogin to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
After a barrage of severe winter storms, 12 of California's 17 major reservoirs have been replenished -- a silver lining for a state suffering from brutal drought. But officials also warn that when the enormous snowpack atop the Sierra Nevada starts to melt, the runoff could cause a new threat to those below. Los Angeles Times reporter Hayley Smith joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Over the past few months, artificial intelligence has managed to create award-winning art, pass the bar exam and even diagnose illnesses better than some doctors. But as AI grows more sophisticated and popular, the voices warning against the potential dangers are growing louder. Geoff Bennett discussed the concerns with Seth Dorbin of the Responsible AI Institute. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
When you think of fresh produce and fields of grain, the Arctic may not spring to mind. But just 800 miles from the North Pole, the Global Seed Vault holds emergency stockpiles of most of the world's crops. It provides scientists with the tools they need to breed plants able to cope with a changing world. Special correspondent John Beaver visited the vault to learn more about the future of food. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
A massive line of severe weather wreaked havoc from the Deep South to the Great Lakes. An estimated 85 million people were in the path of the storms, and at least 21 people were killed. We hear from residents affected by the tornadoes, and John Yang speaks with atmospheric scientist Walker Ashley for more on the storms. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
A class of toxic chemicals known as PFAS has made its way into food, soil, water and even most people's blood in America. In March, the EPA proposed the first regulatory standard limiting the quantity of PFAS in drinking water. Erin Bell, an environmental epidemiologist at the State University of New York at Albany, joins Ali Rogin to discuss these "forever chemicals" and our exposure to them. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
For fossil hunters, the thrill is often in the hunt. For 9-year-old Molly Sampson, her prehistoric shark tooth discovery along a Maryland beach is considered the find of a lifetime. And the dinosaur footprint English archaeologist Marie Woods spotted has revealed a new dinosaur behavior. Ali Rogin details these recent fossil finds that are helping advance scientific knowledge. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Scientists warned that human-induced climate change is warming the planet to the point where it is causing irreversible damage in some parts of the world. The report was released by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Climate Scientist Katharine Hayhoe of The Nature Conservancy joined Amna Nawaz to look at what can be done to change the direction the planet is headed. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, a 5,000-mile-long belt of seaweed weighing more than 11 million tons, is threatening to wreak havoc in the coastal waters and beaches of the Atlantic Ocean. It's so big that it can be seen from space, spanning the tropical Atlantic from West Africa to the Caribbean. Oceanographer Ajit Subramaniam joins John Yang to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
This Women's History Month, we're highlighting stories of women whose contributions have often been overlooked. Tonight, we look at the career of Chien-Shiung Wu, a 20th-century physicist who made indelible changes to her field. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
U.S. airports have seen an uptick in near-collisions involving commercial planes. The problem prompted the FAA to call for a safety summit, launching a review of standards and procedures to prevent catastrophe. Geoff Bennett reports on the close calls and discusses the possible factors with aviation correspondent Miles O'Brien. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Delegates at the United Nations have agreed on a historic international treaty to protect biodiversity on the high seas, a deal years in the making. The agreement is critical to reaching another U.N. goal: protecting 30 percent of the ocean by 2030. John Yang reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
This Women's History Month, we're highlighting stories of women whose accomplishments have often not received widespread attention. Today, we learn about NASA astronaut Ellen Ochoa, who became the first Hispanic woman to go to space in 1993. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Thanks to some unusual sun spot activity, the northern lights are putting on a show much farther south than usual, giving more people chances to catch a glimpse. From Norway to Scotland to Alaska, we look at some spectacular sights captured recently in the night skies. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
It's almost official. Soy, almond and other plant-based drinks that call themselves milk can keep using that name, at least according to new draft guidelines released by the FDA last week. Stephanie Sy explores the debate. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Scientists researching the aftermath of California wildfires say they are finding evidence that climate change is accelerating the risk of disease spreading from animals to humans. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In last week's State of the Union, President Biden reaffirmed his administration's commitment to get more electric vehicles in American driveways. It's estimated that half of all new vehicle sales will be EVs by 2030, but the industry still faces infrastructure hurdles, policy challenges and public misconceptions. Forbes senior transportation editor Alan Ohnsman joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Drew Lanham refers to himself as a 'rare bird.' The ornithologist, naturalist and writer says he believes conservation efforts must be a blending of rigorous science and evocative art. Lanham is among the new class of MacArthur Fellows, an honor often called 'The Genius Award.' Jeffrey Brown traveled to South Carolina to speak with Lanham for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Artificial intelligence has the potential to dramatically alter how we gather information, communicate and work. Experts are also raising questions about how it will affect governance and what it will mean for the future of our democracy. Bruce Schneier, a fellow at Harvard University's Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
This was an important week in the battle out west over water use. Seven states along the Colorado River basin were supposed to reach a collective agreement on how to use less water from an ever-shrinking river, but they failed to do so. William Brangham spoke with Rhett Larson for our series on water issues, Tipping Point. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Wednesday marks 20 years since the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated on its way home. The tragedy not only killed all seven astronauts on board but also was the beginning of the end for the space shuttle program and changed how we explore space now. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien spoke with retired astronaut and Senator Mark Kelly about the Columbia disaster. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Saturday, tensions remain high after a 13-year-old Palestinian boy shot and wounded two people in Jerusalem, floodwaters are receding in Auckland, New Zealand after record-breaking rainfall, Pope Francis clarified his words after saying that being gay is a sin, Trump hit the campaign trail for his 2024 presidential bid, and the Challenger space shuttle exploded 37 years ago today. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The demand for electric vehicles is surging in the U.S., sparked in part by the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act and the subsidies it offers. But a looming supply shortage of lithium threatens to stall the EV transition. Stephanie Sy traveled to California's Salton Sea where lithium deposits could help meet the country's energy needs and support an economically devastated region. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In one of the great environmental success stories of our time, scientists say that a 35-year-old agreement has resulted in the steady and promising recovery of the Earth's ozone layer, a critical protective shield that blocks harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Dr. Paul Newman, chief scientist for Earth sciences at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In the remote village of Ambler, Alaska, temperatures can fall to minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, so heating the community is a big job. This past September, Ambler switched to a renewable energy option in an effort to go greener -- a change that also means a path toward a more sustainable economy for Alaska Native communities. Alaska Public Media's Elyssa Loughlin reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
There's been a heated debate lately about gas stoves and potential government regulation. The fire was lit last week after a member of a federal consumer agency suggested the government might ban them in newly built homes. That was quickly shot down by the White House but there's still a new focus on the health impact and possible alternatives. Miles O'Brien reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
New research suggests that cold weather may actually affect the human body's immune response, making us more susceptible to colds, flus and other upper respiratory infections. Benjamin Bleier, a sinus specialist at Mass Eye and Ear and a senior author of the study, joins John Yang to discuss its findings. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
U.S. emissions fell during the height of the pandemic as people were stuck at home, but that changed as the pandemic eased. Many researchers, scientists and lawmakers argue that Americans need to reduce their use of fossil fuels much sooner than they may have planned. Miles O'Brien reports on an alternative for home heating that could reduce the use and costs of fossil fuels. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
With planet-warming emissions on the rise, scientists worry about melting glaciers and the onslaught of repercussions. A new study published in the Journal of Science looks at the future of hundreds of thousands of glaciers, and what we can expect. David Rounce of Carnegie Mellon University joined Amna Nawaz to discuss the study. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Artificial intelligence, robotics and gene sequencing are the stuff of headlines, science fiction and sometimes even our worst fears. It's all on view at the new MIT Museum. A place where the latest scientific advancements fill galleries, but only really work with your input. Special correspondent Jared Bowen of GBH Boston looks at this artistic frontier for our arts and culture series, "CANVAS." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Months after historic flooding that killed more than 1,700 people, Pakistan is still struggling to recover. The UN is warning it might suspend its food support program for flood victims because it is running out of money. Fred de Sam Lazaro reports from Sindh, one of the hardest-hit provinces. This story is part of the series Agents for Change and produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Franziska Trautmann is the founder and CEO of Glass Half Full, a recycling company that converts glass into sand for coastal restoration projects and disaster relief. She and her co-founder Max were students at Tulane University when they launched the initiative. Trautmann shares her Brief But Spectacular take on "glassroots" recycling. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer led the Manhattan Project to develop nuclear weapons during World War II and is perhaps best known as the "Father of the Atomic Bomb." But he was a complicated man. As William Brangham explains, there are new assessments of his role in history. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Scientists working in Greenland identified the oldest samples of DNA ever found on earth. By analyzing the two-million year old genetic material, they've revealed how northern Greenland was once a wildly different environment than the cold, polar region it is today. Project researcher Eske Willerslev joined William Brangham to discuss the discovery. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
A historic agreement was reached Monday at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Canada that aims to increase protections for the world's lands and oceans. It comes as the planet continues to experience a staggering decline in biodiversity driven in large part by human behavior. Collin O'Mara of the National Wildlife Federation joined William Brangham to discuss the agreement. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
For the first time, scientists have produced a fusion reaction that created more energy than was expended, a breakthrough to tap into the same kind of energy that powers the sun and stars. It could have huge implications for potentially creating clean and limitless energy. Science Correspondent Miles O'Brien joined Judy Woodruff to discuss what was achieved and what still needs to happen. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
NASA's Orion spacecraft splashed down Sunday afternoon just off California's Baja Peninsula in the Pacific Ocean. The 26-day Artemis 1 test mission marked a significant step toward returning astronauts to the moon. Miles O'Brien joins Geoff Bennett to discuss the mission and what's next. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Saturday, Russian drone strikes knocked out energy infrastructure across southern Ukraine, a major storm system moving inland from the Pacific Coast threatens severe weather across the U.S., and Republican Kari Lake has asked a court to throw out Arizona's election results after she lost the race for governor in November. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The nearly month-long Artemis 1 mission to the Moon is slated to end on Sunday with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. On that very day 50 years ago, Dec. 11, 1972, the last Apollo astronauts set foot on the moon. Space historian Andy Chaikin, author of the definitive account of the Apollo missions "A Man on the Moon," joins Miles O'Brien to discuss the parallels. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Bill McKibben is an environmentalist and founder of Third Act, an organization that encourages people over 60 to take action on climate change. He also helped to found 350.org, which was the first global grassroots climate campaign, organizing protests on every continent including Antarctica. McKibben shares his Brief But Spectacular take on working together for climate action. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
This week, representatives from 150 nations are meeting in Uruguay with the goal of dramatically reducing or eliminating all plastic pollution by 2040. Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers introduced a new bill to help curtail the harmful impacts of plastic waste. Washington Post reporter Michael Birnbaum joins Amna Nawaz to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Saturday, former President Trump called for the Constitution to be "terminated" over unfounded allegations of 2020 election fraud, cities in China eased more COVID restrictions after protests, Iran announced construction of a new nuclear plant, volcanic lava is creeping toward a highway on Hawaii's Big Island, and the U.S. men's soccer team was knocked out of the World Cup. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Roughly 1 million species of wildlife face extinction worldwide, according to a recent United Nations report. Ecologist and author Rebecca Nesbit joins Geoff Bennett to discuss the ethics and decision-making process behind figuring out which species to save. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Discarded food is responsible for as much as 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Rhode Island PBS Weekly's Isabella Jibilian reports on why so much food is going to waste and what some people are doing to try to stop the trend. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The capital of Norway is working to be nearly emission-free by 2030. Every year, the city of Oslo calculates how much emission-producing activity will contribute to greenhouse gases, then implements a carbon budget to keep those levels low. Lisa Desjardins speaks with Heidi Sørensen, director of Oslo's Agency for Climate, to learn more. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Saturday, COP27 climate talks inched closer to a deal to create a disaster fund for vulnerable nations, FIFA's head scolded critics of World Cup host Qatar, APEC wrapped up meetings in Bangkok, heavy snow fell in western New York, Trump called the appointment of a special counsel an "abuse of power," and President Biden attended his granddaughter's wedding at the White House. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
U.S. and Chinese climate negotiators met formally for the first time in months at the COP27 global climate summit. Beijing had blocked bilateral climate discussions back in August, but they resumed after President Biden's meeting earlier this week with Chinese President Xi. Nick Schifrin reports on the collaboration and China's outsized impact on climate change. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Up and down the Mississippi River basin, below-average rainfall has constricted one of the country's major economic thoroughfares. Some areas along the river are reporting their lowest water levels in decades and it could affect consumers across the country. William Brangham reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
For the first time in half a century, NASA is starting to make its way back to a lunar landing. The Artemis rocket was finally able to launch early Wednesday morning after prior delays, sending an unmanned capsule around the moon. At the same time, there are plenty of questions about the path NASA has chosen to make this happen. Miles O'Brien reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
For 27 years, the United Nations has held annual gatherings of world leaders to discuss how to combat climate change. Yet progress towards the goal of stopping global warming has been elusive, and this year's summit is happening against the backdrop of host country Egypt's record of human rights abuses. Sarah Kaplan, climate reporter for the Washington Post, joins Ali Rogin to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The fate of the rapidly disappearing Amazon rainforest is in new hands after Brazil's latest election. President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva made fighting the climate crisis and protecting the Amazon a cornerstone of his campaign. Michael Mann, director of the Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media at the University of Pennsylvania, joins Geoff Bennett to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
President Biden arrived in Egypt for the COP27 U.N. climate talks. The president pledged new money for renewable energy projects around the world, and a greater push to cut emissions of methane. But he also is hearing a plea from the developing nations that are suffering the worst damage from climate change. William Brangham reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Sunday, Biden, Obama and Trump campaigned in Pennsylvania with just two days until the midterms, delegates gathered in Egypt today for the opening of the United Nations COP27 climate summit, the Houston Astros clinched their second World Series title after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Powerball jackpot has grown to $1.9 billion with no winner yet. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
This weekend, nearly all of us will set our clocks back one hour. It's part of the twice-a-year ritual of alternating between daylight saving time and standard time. William Brangham looks at the history of changing the clock and a movement to do away with this process, once and for all. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
A painting thought to be by Johannes Vermeer isn't a Vermeer after all. The 17th-century Dutch master left behind few works, so take even one away and it's a big deal. New technology is allowing experts to see art in a different way and help make these judgments. Jeffrey Brown visited the National Gallery of Art in Washington for our arts and culture series, "CANVAS." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
After having life-changing strokes, Kate Kennedy and Allen Oliver found themselves diagnosed with aphasia, a disorder marked by a patient's inability to communicate clearly. They had to relearn how to write, read and speak, all alongside other aphasia patients at Boston University's Aphasia Resource Center. They share their Brief But Spectacular take on how language is your life. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
For people with disabilities, innovating ways to navigate spaces and use products that weren't designed for them can be part of everyday life. For some, that has meant making their own tools, modifying existing ones or entirely reimagining environments. Special correspondent Cat Wise spent a day with inventors in Berkeley, California. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The climate crisis is now a reality worldwide, but it's nowhere more apparent than the parched landscapes of northern Africa. Thousands are on the move looking for water to grow crops and graze livestock. Special correspondent Willem Marx looks at just how dire this crisis has become. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Great Salt Lake in Utah is the largest body of water in the western hemisphere without an outlet to the sea. Its levels fluctuate naturally, but scientists say the record-low water levels the lake has seen in recent years are worrying. A megadrought means less precipitation, and a growing population is taking more water before the lake can refill. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
NASA's recent Double Asteroid Redirection Test mission, known as DART, successfully altered the orbit of a planetary object for the first time ever. Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, and author of the new book "Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization," joins Geoff Bennett for our Weekend Spotlight to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
From destructive wildfires to floods that threaten grape and grain harvests, climate change is altering the nature of wine and spirit production around the world. Food and travel writer Brian Freedman's new book, "Crushed," captures how growers and producers are adapting to sudden and dramatic climate shifts. He joins Geoff Bennett to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Saturday, a coal mine explosion in Turkey on Friday has killed at least 41 people, Russia's Defense Ministry says 11 volunteer soldiers died in a shooting at a training ground, a massive blaze has erupted at an Iranian prison known for keeping political prisoners and protestors, and Alaska has canceled its snow crab fishing season for the first time due to plummeting populations. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Elon Musk said SpaceX can no longer fund the Starlink satellite internet service in Ukraine. The service has helped both the Ukrainian military and civilians stay connected during the war with Russia. Musk said the cost is nearly $20 million a month and SpaceX has asked the Pentagon to take over financing. Felicia Schwartz of the Financial Times joined John Yang to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Monday, new violence erupted in Iran amid anti-government protests over the death of a young woman in police custody, North Korea said recent missile tests simulated the use of nuclear weapons to hit South Korean and U.S. targets, Hurricane Julia left at least 19 dead across Central America and China imposed new restrictions after daily COVID cases tripled during a holiday. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The studying and exhibiting of human remains and sacred objects taken from Native American graves and sites have been a source of bitter relations between many cultural institutions and Indigenous tribes. After facing criticism, the University of California, Berkeley is working to repatriate many of those artifacts. Jeffrey Brown reports for our arts and culture series, "CANVAS." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
For the second year in a row, a severe and sudden salmon collapse is impacting Indigenous residents on Alaska's Yukon River and causing food insecurity. The traditional villages whose ways of life have revolved around the fish for thousands of years are now also facing a devastating loss of culture. Olivia Ebertz reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Wednesday, OPEC is drastically cutting oil production by two million barrels a day to boost sagging prices, Russian President Putin signed documents today to annex four regions of Ukraine as the Russian military is losing its grip on some of the areas and as many as 65 people were killed in an air strike in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Tuesday, Elon Musk reversed course and agreed to buy Twitter after months of legal battles, President Biden and Japan's prime minister discussed the next steps following North Korea's longest-ever ballistic missile test over Japan and a Michigan judge dismissed criminal charges against seven former state government officials linked to the Flint water crisis. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Tia Kennedy is an Indigenous rights activist in Canada. Growing up, she struggled to access Indigenous culture and practices. As an adult, Kennedy says she realized those practices held thousands of years worth of wisdom to help improve individuals and society. She shares her Brief But Spectacular take on generational healing. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In the wake of Hurricane Ian, at least 34 people have been confirmed dead -- including 27 in Florida -- a number that is expected to increase. As damage estimates grow, Ian may become one of the costliest storms in U.S. history. John Yang reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
92-year-old Joy Ryan and her grandson Brad Ryan have spent the past seven years crisscrossing the U.S. with the goal of visiting every national park. "Grandma Joy's Road Trip," as they call it on social media, began after Brad found out his grandmother had never seen a mountain before. Joy and Brad Ryan join Geoff Bennett to talk about their adventures. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Hurricane Ian is back on shore after its second landfall on the U.S. mainland. The storm struck near Georgetown, South Carolina Friday afternoon with winds of 85 mph, heavy rain and surging waves. In its wake, officials in Florida confirmed at least 17 dead with vast scenes of wreckage along the state's southwestern coastline. John Yang reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The flooding from Hurricane Ian is so bad in some Florida communities that relief agencies and others are having trouble getting to where they need to be. Journalists are also unable to reach these areas. Wendy Powell, the editor of the Naples Daily News, lives in Naples and is dealing with the storm's aftermath herself. She joined Judy Woodruff to discuss the disaster. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Hurricane Ian left behind massive damage and widespread power outages after tearing through Florida. President Biden declared the storm a major disaster, paving the way for federal funds to support rescue and rebuilding efforts. After crossing the Florida Peninsula, the storm is now back over the water and expected to make a second landfall in the Carolinas. John Yang reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The city of Venice, Florida is about an hour south of Tampa and took its share of damage from Hurricane Ian. Vice Mayor Nick Pachota joined Amna Nawaz to describe what happened in his city. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
As demand grows for seafood, the business of fish farming is growing. Companies are raising and harvesting salmon on land, sparking pushback over sustainability and genetic engineering. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien has the second of a two-part look at what's known as "aquaculture." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Hurricane Ian blasted ashore Wednesday afternoon near Fort Myers, Florida and the damage is likely to be catastrophic. At landfall, its sustained winds hit 150 mph after pulling power from the gulf's warm waters. John Yang reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida on Wednesday bringing fierce winds, heavy rain and storm surges. For the millions of people in the storm's path, the impact could be catastrophic and life-changing. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell joined Amna Nawaz to outline the federal government's response. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Wednesday, the European Union says it will retaliate against attacks on its energy networks after explosions damaged two pipelines in the Baltic Sea, Palestinian authorities say Israeli forces killed four Palestinians and wounded more than 40 during a raid in the occupied West Bank and the president of Iran is warning people there against any further violent protests. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The life expectancy for firefighters is ten years less than the average person and it's not just the fires themselves that present dangers. Firefighters are frequently exposed to toxic chemicals, and according to recent research, even their protective gear may carry health risks. Stephanie Sy looked into so-called "forever chemicals" and their possible effects on these essential workers. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Hurricane Ian is bulking up again and bearing down on Florida's west coast. It could bring 130 mph winds, 18 inches of rain and a 12-foot storm surge. Acting National Director of the National Hurricane Center Jamie Rhome joined Judy Woodruff to talk about the storm's projected path and the risks ahead. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The city of Tampa is getting ready for Hurricane Ian. Evacuations have been ordered in flood-prone areas as officials warn about a significant storm surge threat. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor joined William Brangham to discuss her city's storm preparations. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Hurricane Ian is on a collision course with Cuba and will threaten Florida after that. The storm is growing rapidly and could become a Category 4 with winds of 140 miles an hour before it reaches the U.S. mainland this week. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Monday, new protests flared in Russia over military call-ups for the war in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin granted Russian citizenship to Edward Snowden, Iran attacked Kurdish separatists in northern Iraq and accused them of instigating protests across Iran and a 90-year-old Roman Catholic Cardinal is on trial in Hong Kong over anti-government protests there in 2019. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
NASA is trying an experiment to answer a question that's straight out of science fiction. What could we do if a large object was hurtling through space on a collision course with Earth? Science Correspondent Miles O'Brien joined William Brangham to discuss the Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
To prevent catastrophic global warming, international groups say there should be no new investment in fossil fuel projects. The world's biggest energy companies support those goals publicly, but their spending and lobbying suggest they have no plans to slow down oil and gas development. Ali Rogin explores new data showing a disconnect between what major industry players are saying and doing. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Friday, a sell-off swept Wall Street and the world as rising interest rates intensify fears of a recession, counter-protesters marched in support of Iran's Islamic regime following growing unrest over a young woman's death in the custody of so-called morality police and officials in Lebanon and Syria say at least 77 are dead after a boat carrying migrants capsized. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals, or Sammies, are given out each year to celebrate our nation's public servants. NASA's Greg Robinson received the flagship award of Federal Employee of the Year for his work managing the construction and implementation of the James Webb Space Telescope. Robinson joined Judy Woodruff before this week's ceremony to talk about his journey to stardom. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Thursday, the U.S. imposes sanctions on Iran's morality police as protests continue over the death of a young woman in custody, Republicans in the Senate blocked action on forcing the disclosure of "dark money" donors to political causes and average rates on 30-year mortgage rates have hit their highest level since 2007. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Days after Hurricane Fiona swept across Puerto Rico, people there are still dealing with intense heat, a water shortage and a difficult history that has left the territory short on power and crucial needs. Yarimar Bonilla, the director of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College in New York, joined William Brangham to discuss the recovery. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Alongside the United Nations General Assembly this week, a push for the fight against infectious diseases. Most countries signed on, but the U.K. is a holdout. As special correspondent Dr. Alok Patel reports, with governments' budgets tightening, there is concern that life saving programs might have to be scaled back. This story was produced in partnership with the Global Health Reporting Center. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Wednesday, the House approved a bill to block future attempts at subverting presidential elections and close loopholes in the law, medical workers struggled to contain malaria outbreaks as mosquitoes breed in the wake of flooding in Pakistan and Phoenix Suns and Mercury owner Robert Sarver announced he's selling both teams after allegations of racist and anti-female speech. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Hurricane Fiona is expected to hit Bermuda hard as a Category 4 storm. But when it saturated Puerto Rico earlier this week, it did plenty of damage as a Category 1 storm and set back the modest progress made in the five years since Hurricane Maria. William Brangham reports on the impact the storm has had on communities across the island. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Parts of the northern Caribbean washed away as heavy rains and winds from Hurricane Fiona bombarded islands. The storm hit the Turks and Caicos on Tuesday and may grow stronger as it heads to Bermuda. Puerto Rico saw some of the worst as homes, roads and businesses were still underwater after days of rain. William Brangham reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Hurricane Fiona knocked out power and water to up to one million people in Puerto Rico. President Biden issued an emergency declaration for the island making federal aid available for rescue efforts during and after the storm. Dr. Michelle Carlo of Direct Relief joined William Brangham to discuss the extent of the damage. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere today is more than 50 percent higher than it was during the pre-industrial era. In an effort to fight climate change, many industries are grappling with how to reduce or offset their carbon emissions. Illinois Public Media's Dana Cronin reports on how farms are becoming a frontrunner in the race to reduce carbon. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Saturday, the Justice Department asked a federal appeals court to restore its access to the classified materials found at Mar-a-Lago while an independent arbiter conducts his review, Puerto Rico is under a hurricane warning as Tropical Storm Fiona approaches, violent protests have broken out in Haiti's capital, and Queen Elizabeth II lies in state for a final two days in London. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope launched last Christmas and released its first image in July, providing the deepest and sharpest view we've ever seen of the universe. Since then, it has captured faraway star nurseries, cosmic cliffs and galactic clusters. PBS NewsHour science correspondent Miles O'Brien joins Geoff Bennett to discuss what these images can tell us. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Sunday, Donald Trump lashed out at President Biden and the FBI in his first rally since the Mar-a-Lago search, most residents in Jackson, Mississippi now have water pressure but the city still does not have drinkable water, NASA's moon mission is on pause after two scrubbed test launches, and 8.1 million moviegoers hit the theaters on National Cinema Day Saturday. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Saturday, NASA's Artemis moon mission has been postponed a second time, excessive heat is scorching the West Coast and fueling wildfires, nine migrants were found dead after trying to cross the Rio Grande into Texas, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev was laid to rest in Moscow, and Serena Williams played what was likely her final match at the U.S. Open Friday night. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
This past week, the FDA and CDC signed off on updated COVID-19 vaccines to boost protection against newer variants of the virus, in an effort to limit an anticipated seasonal surge in infections this fall. Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children's Hospital, joins Geoff Bennett to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Friday, the Justice Department says FBI agents found dozens of empty folders marked "classified" at former President Trump's estate in Florida. Pat Cipollone, Trump's White House counsel, went before a federal grand jury in its January 6 investigation. A bombing at a crowded mosque in western Afghanistan killed 18 people, including a prominent pro-Taliban cleric. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
China's record-breaking heat wave, which lasted more than two months, has finally begun to ease. But the power shortages that came with the searing temperatures have raised questions about the region's heavy reliance on hydropower and China's ambitions to end its use of fossil fuels. Special correspondent Patrick Fok reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
If all goes as planned, NASA will launch a rocket to return to the moon Saturday afternoon. This first phase will send an unmanned capsule to lunar orbit and back, but NASA wants humans to land on the moon in 2024 or 2025. As science correspondent Miles O'Brien reports, it has taken a long time and a lot of money to get Artemis going, an approach that has been the subject of some criticism. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Thursday, President Biden is set to step up his attack on what he calls "extremist" threats to democracy by former President Trump and his most zealous supporters. A federal judge heard arguments on whether an outside expert should review government documents found at Mar-a-Lago. The U.S. military says reports of sexual assaults rose 13 percent last year over the year before. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration authorized two updated COVID-19 boosters to target the omicron strain of the virus, life expectancy in the U.S. fell to just over 76 years as the pandemic continued to take its toll and U.N. inspectors are heading to Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to safeguard the site which is currently in Russian possession. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In recent weeks, several children's hospitals have become targets of far-right attacks and harassment. Anti-transgender activists have been using social media to spread disinformation about gender-affirming medical care. Jay Brown of the Human Rights Campaign joins Stephanie Sy to discuss violent threats made against the staff at Boston Children's Hospital. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The World Health Organization warned that millions of Pakistanis affected by historic floods are now at risk of waterborne disease. Areas in central and southern Pakistan are still underwater and 70,000 more homes have been damaged, adding to the one million homes already impacted. Abdullah Fadil, the UNICEF representative in Pakistan, joined Nick Schifrin to discuss the humanitarian crisis. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The toll from extreme weather has devastated vast regions of sub-Saharan Africa which are suffering from the worst drought conditions on record and a food crisis that ranges from severe to catastrophic. Correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro looks at one effort to help farmers impacted by the changing weather patterns. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Artists have long taken to the outdoors to do their work. Now, an artist-in-residence program organized by the National Park Service puts a new emphasis on that important synergy. Jeffrey Brown visited the vast wetlands of Everglades National Park in Florida to see how artists are creating and sharing their work in nature. It's part of our arts and culture series, "CANVAS." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Mississippi's capital city is coping with a water crisis after a treatment plant broke down, leaving thousands without drinkable water. The governor declared a state of emergency and asked the National Guard to help distribute water to Jackson's 180,000 residents and businesses. Nick Judin of the Mississippi Free Press joined John Yang to discuss the concerns. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The United Nations is calling for $160 million in emergency funding to help Pakistan cope with catastrophic flooding. The disaster has killed more than 1,160 people, displaced millions, destroyed roads and crops and left one-third of the country, an area the size of Colorado, under water. Sherry Rehman, Pakistan's minister of climate change, joined Nick Schifrin to discuss the ongoing disaster. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Monday, some documents seized from former President Trump's home may be protected by attorney-client privilege, a judge in Georgia ordered Republican Governor Brian Kemp to testify before a grand jury on alleged attempts by Trump to alter election results there and the path to restoring the Iran nuclear deal grew more uncertain as President Ebrahim Raisi issued a new warning. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Historic flooding in Pakistan has now killed 1,100 people and caused $10 billion in damage since mid-June. At least 33 million people have been impacted and one-third of the country is submerged. Sara Hayat, a lawyer specializing in climate change and adjunct professor at Lahore University of Management Sciences in Pakistan, joined Amna Nawaz to discuss the growing disaster. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Ukrainian forces launched a counteroffensive to retake territory in the south currently occupied by Russian invaders. Fighting near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has raised concerns that the facility could be damaged in the crossfire. Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists, joined Nick Schifrin to discuss the risks. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Sunday, a major flood threat faces Mississippi as the Pearl river is expected to crest 8 feet above flood stage on Sunday. Residents in Jackson have been advised to evacuate. Plus, Two U.S. warships sailed through international waters in the Taiwan Strait, and a Mickey Mantle baseball card set a new record at auction. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
A new report out this week warns that at least 1 in 9 tree species in the U.S. are at risk of extinction. Trees face a host of threats including invasive species, deadly disease and climate change. The data comes as part of the most comprehensive threat assessment ever collected on U.S. forests. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans 17 years ago, with more than 1800 lives lost and more than $100 billion in property damage. Many of those who lived through the storm were children at the time and traumatized by the experience. The documentary "Katrina Babies" is a collection of stories about those who experienced the storm as children and how it has impacted their lives. Geoff Bennett is joined by the filmmaker Edward Buckles Jr., a New Orleans native and survivor of Hurricane Katrina, to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
From a submerged town in Spain to the foundations of an ancient temple in China, the global drought is uncovering artifacts and locations once lost. Nazi warships, still laden with explosives, have emerged from the Danube, and several sets of human remains have been found in the muddy flats of the drying Lake Mead in the southwestern U.S. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Saturday, U.S. intelligence officials said they will assess potential national security risks related to the classified materials recovered from Trump's residence, new concerns arise over shelling around Europe's largest nuclear plant in Ukraine, the death toll from flooding in Pakistan has neared 1,000, and U.N. talks over a treaty to protect marine life have fallen apart. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Roughly 1 in 6 American households are behind on utility bills, as energy prices surge across the U.S. to the highest level in nearly 15 years. In the UK, household energy bills are up 80% compared to last year. Bloomberg News energy writer Will Wade joins Geoff Bennett to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The saguaro cactus is being threatened by drought conditions and rising temperatures. Scientists surveying Saguaro National Park in Arizona say the situation is increasing the mortality rate of young saguaros. Stephanie Sy has more on what those trends mean for ecosystems in the Sonoran desert. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
There has been a growing appetite around the world for fish. But that growth in demand is raising all kinds of questions and concerns for the industry about sustainability and impact. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien has the first of a two-part look at what's known as "aquaculture." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Tuesday, a Michigan jury convicted two men of conspiring to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020, a former Kentucky detective pleaded guilty to falsifying the warrant used in the deadly raid at Breonna Taylor's apartment, ceremonies in Moscow paid tribute to a Russian TV commentator killed in a car bombing, and automakers Hyundai and Kia are recalling more than 280,000 vehicles. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared emergencies in more than 20 counties after extreme rain triggered flash floods. Monday's deluge was part of a wave of severe weather across the Southwest. John Yang reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Martha's Vineyard, with its beautiful shoreline and farm land, has long been a summer destination, but most visitors know little about the history of the Wampanoag people. A group on the island is reviving that history by educating children and adults about the Native culture and traditions while also aiming to protect our increasingly challenged planet. Charlayne Hunter-Gault reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Across Europe, rivers have sunk to historic lows because of brutal heat waves fueled by climate change. In Britain, conservationists are urging the government and water companies to take action to counter devastating droughts. Meanwhile, the source of the legendary River Thames has dried up and moved several miles downstream, further than it's ever gone before. Malcolm Brabant reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Polio had been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 1979, when the last known case of the original strain of the polio virus was detected, while the global vaccination campaign has decreased cases by 99.9 percent. But the virus now seems to be gaining a foothold again in some countries. Dr. Yvonne Maldonado of the Stanford School of Medicine joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
An aerospace group in Michigan wants to build the first rocket launch sites in the Midwest, including a spaceport right along Lake Superior. But many locals are fighting to keep the plan from taking off, citing concerns about environmental impacts. Special correspondent Megan Thompson reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
New blasts of extreme weather are taking a toll around the globe Friday. The latest in a series of fierce heat waves has moved into the U.S. Northwest and heavy rains and droughts have spread over portions of Europe and Asia. William Brangham has our report. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Friday, a British man was sentenced to life in a U.S. prison without parole for the Islamic State killings of four Americans, the U.S. pledged $775 million in additional military aid for Ukraine, the former Roman Catholic archbishop of Quebec, Canada denied sexually assaulting a woman, and the U.S. Transportation Department is urging airlines to do more for delayed travelers. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The federal government on Tuesday announced a second round of water restrictions to states that depend on the Colorado River Basin. The move comes as the American West faces unprecedented challenges to preserve water that continues to recede rapidly. Jennifer Pitt, Colorado River program director for the National Audubon Society, joins Stephanie Sy to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Sunday, online threats against federal officials are increasing after the FBI's search of Trump's home, a man drove into a Capitol barrier and died in an apparent suicide, a Palestinian gunman opened fire on a bus in Jerusalem, author Salman Rushdie is "on the road to recovery" after being stabbed in New York, and Freya the walrus has been euthanized by Norwegian authorities. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
This summer has seen record-high temperatures around the world, but the damaging effects of heat do not stop at the water's edge. In Europe, the Mediterranean Sea has been experiencing elevated temperatures since May, with deadly consequences for delicate underwater ecosystems. Ali Rogin reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Saturday, a Trump attorney told the Justice Department that all classified documents had been returned, the Southern Baptist Convention's handling of sexual abuse claims is under investigation, Salman Rushdie's alleged attacker is charged with attempted murder, Sen. Sinema's campaign donations from Wall Street come under scrutiny, and Italy's largest lake drops near historic lows. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
On a multi-country tour of Africa this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been making the case that the U.S. can be a quote "equal partner" with African nations. In that vein, he recently announced a new partnership between the U.S. and the Democratic Republic of Congo in an effort to protect some of that nation's natural treasures. William Brangham reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
As the House prepares to cast the final vote Friday on the Democrats' sweeping climate and health care bill, we take a look at how the legislation also impacts tax policy. Michael Graetz, a professor of tax law at Columbia University and co-author of "The Wolf at the Door: The Menace of Economic Insecurity and How to Fight It," joins Lisa Desjardins to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Residents of the Southwest including many Indigenous people have for years been exposed to high levels of radiation from uranium extraction and refining, a toxic legacy from the Cold War's weapons program and nuclear power generation. Stephanie Sy reports in partnership with investigative news outlet ProPublica on a community's fight for survival and to hold a company and government accountable. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In the sea of videos on TikTok today, dance crazes and cute animals are unavoidable on the video-sharing app. But below the surface -- underwater to be more precise -- are some special, critically endangered crustaceans who have unintentionally hopped on the trend. Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Social media can certainly motivate people for good and otherwise. Calls to action to clean up the oceans, rivers, and beaches have galvanized volunteers and gone viral. But given the magnitude of the problem, how should we assess the impact? Paul Solman looks at one YouTube-focused campaign that has hit a particular chord, as part of our continuing coverage of the global plastic problem. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Camille Seaman is a photographer who has been documenting climate change in the polar regions. Over the years, she's witnessed firsthand the drastic effects of climate change, and hopes to merge the realms of art and science in order to get a message across: we only get this one Earth, and we must take care of it. She shares her Brief But Spectacular take on being a good ancestor. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Eastern Kentucky is facing a new danger after last week's devastating floods. Relief workers on Wednesday labored in heat indexes climbing to 100 degrees, as clean-up operations continued. More than 400 national guard troops are also deployed across the region to help residents. Misty Thomas, executive director of the Western Kentucky chapter of the Red Cross, joins John Yang to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The monkeypox outbreak continues to grow faster than many initially expected. Nearly 6,000 cases have been reported in the U.S. since May and three states have issued emergency declarations over the outbreak in the last week. New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan joins Stephanie Sy to discuss efforts to contain the virus in one of the country's epicenters. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Wildfires and floods are causing more death and destruction across the nation as thousands are forced to evacuate their homes. Record flooding in Kentucky has now claimed 37 lives, and a fierce new fire in northern California has killed at least two people. William Brangham reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
As Kentucky tries to recover from devastating floods that have killed at least 37 people, the weather forecast indicates there may soon be more pain brought to the state. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the terrible damage and losses already incurred. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Sunday, the McKinney Fire in northern California forces thousands to flee their homes, at least seven deaths in Oregon are suspected caused by excessive heat, the death toll from flooding in Kentucky rises to 26, Ukraine's president urges civilians to evacuate Donetsk amid fierce fighting with Russian forces, and NBA legend Bill Russell has died at the age of 88. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Last week, the monarch butterfly was officially designated as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Scientists estimate that the species' population has dropped between 20% and 90% over the last several decades. Scott Hoffman Black, executive director of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, joins Ali Rogin to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Eastern Kentucky is the epicenter Friday of the nation's latest extreme weather disaster. At least 16 people have died in flooding that rewrote the record books and ravaged neighboring states as well. Amna Nawaz has our report. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
A deal formed late Thursday among Senate Democrats would bring substantial new money to boost the expansion of renewable energy and provide more incentives for people to buy electric vehicles. But it also expands more fossil fuel development projects. David Roberts, who covers the politics of climate change in his Substack newsletter and podcast called "Volts," joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In Missouri, state and local officials have declared a state of emergency due to severe flooding in St. Louis and the surrounding areas, where historic rainfall turned streets and highways into rivers. Emergency crews rescued hundreds of residents across the region and dozens more fled their homes amid rising waters. Communities reporter Gabrielle Hays joins Judy Woodruff to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
From the start of the pandemic, scientists have tried to determine exactly where and how the novel coronavirus spread to humans. New studies conclude the virus first emerged from a live-animal market in Wuhan, China. One of the authors of a study, Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at University of Saskatchewan's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Russia says it will officially withdraw by 2024 from participating in the International Space Station. The country's space chief says Moscow will focus instead on building its own orbiting outpost, spurring concerns. The announcement Tuesday was expected, amid tensions between Russia and the West over the war in Ukraine. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien joins Judy Woodruff to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, the sprawling Oak Fire continues to rapidly spread across central California outside Yosemite National Park. The blaze erupted Friday and has now consumed more than 16,000 acres. As firefighters battle the wildfire, the destruction has left thousands fleeing their homes, taking with them whatever they could. Nicole Ellis reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The explosive spread of the Oak fire spread suggests another bad fire season ahead in California. Beth Pratt, the California regional executive director of the National Wildlife Federation, lives in Midpines, California, which is being threatened by the fire. She joins John Yang to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Vaccinations against the monkeypox virus are picking up in the U.S., but access and speed of delivery remain issues as cases spread. This comes as the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a global health emergency. We spoke to Americans who've been exposed and have struggled to get the vaccine, and Gregg Gonsalves of the Yale School of Public Health joins Amna Nawaz to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Climate change's connections with the extreme heat and weather events in the U.S. and around the globe have been well established. But climate change is also having a measurable impact on a much slower-moving development: the loss of glaciers and the melting of the ice. Miles O'Brien brings us this update on a scientist's quest to chronicle what's happening with one of the most important glaciers. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
As a debate continues in the U.S over reproductive rights, teenage girls in the Republic of Mongolia are fighting for the right not to be subjected to so-called "virginity tests" in schools. The practice was officially banned by the government last year but it continues nevertheless. Stephanie Sy reports in collaboration with the Global Press Journal. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
A fast-spreading wildfire burning out of control in California on the doorstep of Yosemite National Park has forced thousands to flee their homes. Hot and dry conditions, linked to climate change, are making it a tough fire to fight. Michael Mann, a professor of atmospheric science at Penn State University and author of "The New Climate War," joins Geoff Bennett to discuss climate change's role. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
As climate change and rising sea levels put historic lighthouses in imminent danger, photographer David Zapatka has a sense of urgency to capture as many as possible. He's published a book, "USA Stars & Lights: Portraits from the Dark," to showcase what's at risk. Michelle San Miguel of Rhode Island PBS Weekly profiles Zapatka for our arts and culture series, "CANVAS." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Heat waves at home and abroad this week are fueling new appeals for action on climate change. President Biden addressed the issue Wednesday, as large swaths of the United States and Europe spent another day in dangerously high temperatures. Geoff Bennett reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
As global temperatures continue to rise, so do heat-related deaths. Some U.S. cities are feeling the effects of high-temperature emergencies right now, including in Phoenix, Arizona. The city created the first publicly funded office to focus on the problem caused by higher temperatures. David Hondula, director of Phoenix's Office of Heat Response and Mitigation, joins Stephanie Sy with more. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Tuesday was the hottest day ever recorded in Britain as the country baked under super-heated air that sparked fires, buckled train tracks and touched off a torrent of emergency calls. It was part of a wider weather emergency that lasted for days and stretched across Europe. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
An intense heat wave has gripped much of Europe, with scorching heat, buckling roads, raging fires and hundreds of people dead -- and forecasts predict even more unbearable weather to come. Special correspondent Malcolm Brabant reports on the worst European heat wave in years. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
A heat wave that's been searing southern Europe moved north into Britain this week, with temperatures topping 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat also fueled wildfires in France and Spain, displacing thousands of people with hundreds of heat-related deaths. Emily Shuckburgh, director of Cambridge Zero, the University of Cambridge's climate change initiative, joins Stephanie Sy to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
As fires rage across Europe and floods inundate China, scientists caution extreme weather events are likely to happen more often across the globe due to climate change. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
COVID cases are spiking in many parts of the country and hospital admissions have doubled since May. The latest surge is being driven by two new omicron subvariants. The CDC estimates that the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants represent more than 80 percent of U.S. cases. Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, joins Geoff Bennett to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
President Biden is sharply ratcheting back his expectations Friday for a major economic aid package. This comes as Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin has ruled out backing key funding proposals for his party's action on climate change. Lisa Desjardins joins William Brangham for more on this blow to Biden's domestic agenda. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The FDA has announced nearly 800,000 more doses of a vaccine for monkeypox will be available before August. It comes amid criticism over the Biden administration's response to this outbreak. More than a thousand cases of monkeypox have been recorded in more than 40 states. David Harvey, director of the National Coalition of STD Directors, joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
A new coronavirus variant called BA.5 is fueling yet another wave of COVID infections across the globe. This week, the CDC said BA.5 is now the dominant strain in the U.S. accounting for more than 60 percent of cases. It is also the most transmissible variant to date. Dr. Eric Topol, founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
NASA shared new revelations Tuesday from the James Webb Telescope, the largest space observatory ever made. The new images capture distant galaxies, new stars and planets, and the furthest look into the birth of the cosmos ever recorded. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien reports PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Monday, The death toll rose to 31 in a Russian missile strike on an apartment block in Ukraine's Donetsk region, police in South Africa hunt for gunmen who killed 15 people, a contagious Covid mutation gains momentum in India, at least 150 people in Pakistan have died in monsoon rains, and a drug company is seeking approval for the first U.S. over-the-counter birth control pill. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Sharon Fontaine Terry is the president and CEO of Genetic Alliance, a nonprofit that advocates for advancing genomic research. While she is now heavily involved in the world of genetics, she was in fact the first non-researcher and lay-person to discover a gene, which began when her children were diagnosed with a rare disease. She shares her Brief But Spectacular take on revolutionizing research. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
With vaccinations, boosters and drugs, COVID has become a far less deadly risk for most Americans than earlier in the pandemic. But COVID still presents numerous problems, particularly for some of the most vulnerable people, with an average of more than 300 people dying every day from it. Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID response coordinator, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Last year set a record for heat-related deaths in the United States, and this year is already shaping up to be worse in terms of high temperatures. Stephanie Sy reports from Phoenix in Maricopa County, Arizona, which has been at the center of heat-related deaths, and where rising homelessness in recent years is making even more people vulnerable to extreme heat. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Iraq boasts a rich natural environment. Spanning jagged mountains in the north to pristine deserts in the south, it offers a habitat to 84 endangered mammals, birds, reptiles and fish species. Wildlife conservationists are trying to strengthen laws and raise awareness to save these species from extinction. Simona Foltyn reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Supreme Court's recent decision to limit the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency has many worried about whether the Biden administration can reach its climate goals. Michael Oppenheimer of Princeton University, one of six scientists who filed an amicus brief in the case, and Mustafa Santiago Ali, of the National Wildlife Federation, join Amna Nawaz to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Even before summer began, there were extreme heat waves and new heat records throughout the Northern Hemisphere, and the forecast calls for a hotter-than-normal summer in much of the U.S. Scientists say climate change is accelerating and intensifying these kinds of heat waves. It's taken a while for some TV weather men and women to make these connections, but that's changing. Miles O'Brien reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Environmental advocates say the ruling in the EPA case is a blow in the fight against climate change and will hamper the Biden administration's environmental agenda. But West Virginia won the case in front of the court after a legal battle over the clean power plan. West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who led the legal challenge to the EPA, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Research published last year shows the massive Himalayan glaciers have shrunk 10-times faster over the past four decades than during the previous seven centuries. It threatens agriculture and the water supply for millions across South Asia. Fred de Sam Lazaro reports on one project aimed at blunting the environmental impact for communities in the Himalayas. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Tuesday, primary elections are being held in six states with several marquee races including in Colorado and New York, rescuers in Ukraine searched for survivors in the ruins of a burned-out shopping mall hit by Russian missiles, the UN says 300,000 civilians were killed in the first decade of Syria's civil war, and Ghislaine Maxwell is sentenced to 20 years in prison. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Sunday, an ethnic mass killing in Ethiopia has claimed the lives of more than 200 Amhara people, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen expects an economic slowdown but not necessarily a recession, voters in Colombia head to the polls in presidential runoff, Yellowstone National Park will partly reopen after flooding, and world swimming adopted new rules for transgender athletes. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Globally, about 20 percent of reptile species are facing the threat of extinction. That's according to a recent study in the scientific journal "Nature." Geoff Bennett takes a deeper look now at what's driving this extinction crisis and what it could mean for the rest of the world. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Coral reefs around the world are in growing danger due to rising temperatures connected with climate change. But in Florida and the Caribbean, marine biologists are racing to fight a new deadly threat. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Maya Lin is known for her memorials, architecture, and her art. A new project adds a very personal side to her story and of millions of other Asian Americans. As the Museum of Chinese in America seeks to expand its own presence and the larger American story. Jeffrey Brown reports for our arts and culture series, "CANVAS." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Saturday, Vice President Kamala Harris and the second gentleman joined mourners in Buffalo as 86-year-old Ruth Whitfield, the final victim of a racist attack two weeks ago, was laid to rest. Also, a church charity event in Nigeria ended tragically after a stampede left at least 30 people dead, and at least 15 people were killed in southern China amid torrential rains and flooding. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Uvalde massacre is leading to tough questions all over again about how adults should talk to children about these shootings. Dr. Melissa Brymer, director of terrorism and disaster programs at the UCLA-Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In New Mexico, thousands of firefighters are battling a colossal wildfire that has become the largest in state history. A historic drought coupled with climate change has led to longer and more destructive wildfires across the West. Michael Mann, a professor of atmospheric science at Penn State University and author of "The New Climate War" joins Geoff Bennett to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
NASA is aiming to expand its astronaut launches from U.S. soil. Boeing is set for a test launch this week of its small spacecraft to the International Space Station. Russia and America have long been partners on the space station, but the invasion of Ukraine has led to new tensions and questions about the future. Miles O'Brien has our report about the rhetoric versus the reality. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
For decades scientists have believed there is a black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy. For the first time this week, they released an astonishing image of it, about 27,000 light years away from Earth. An international collaboration of scientists and telescopes made the discovery. Miles O'Brien explores some of the mysteries surrounding the black hole. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Thursday, the Jan. 6 committee in Congress subpoenaed House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and four other Republicans, North Korea acknowledged its first COVID outbreak, Palestinians mourn journalist Shireen Abu Akleh who was shot dead during an Israeli raid in the West Bank, and astronomers captured the first image of the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Wednesday, the Labor Department's April consumer price report shows a slight drop in inflation increases amid 40-year highs, Hong Kong police arrested a Catholic cardinal for endangering China's national security, the Great Barrier Reef suffered its fourth mass-bleaching event in seven years and candidates backed by former President Trump had mixed results in Tuesday's primaries. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Extreme heat is gripping large parts of India and Pakistan, affecting hundreds of millions of people in one of the most densely populated parts of the world. Temperatures in India's capital rose above 100 F again this week. The NewsHour looks at how people there are coping. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The U.S. is in the midst of its worst deadly bird flu outbreak in years. Millions of poultry and wild birds have been killed. And although the risk to human health is low, the impacts have trickled down to consumers. William Brangham traveled to the Midwest, where producers and scientists are desperately trying to stay ahead of the virus. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
It is unbearably hot in India right now as a brutal heat wave scorches the region. While temperatures in some areas have surpassed 120 degrees Fahrenheit every year, the recent wave started early, leading to school closures, landfill fires and a crop crisis. Somini Sengupta, climate reporter for The New York Times and anchor of the Climate Forward newsletter, joins Geoff Bennett to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Tuesday, the Biden administration has determined that Russia is wrongfully detaining pro basketball star Brittney Griner, voters in Ohio and Indiana took to the polls, former President Trump's inaugural committee and business will pay $750,000 to settle allegations over his D.C. hotel, and rolling blackouts in India are cutting power to swaths of the country amid extreme heat. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Winds picked up Tuesday in several states, adding more trouble and complications for firefighters out west and in the plains states. Nearly a dozen large fires have burned over 340 square miles in six states recently and more than 3,500 firefighters and support personnel are battling the blazes. Stephanie Sy reports on the particular problems it's caused in Arizona, New Mexico and Nebraska. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Water levels around Southeast Virginia have risen nearly 20 inches over the past century and they are estimated to keep rising. These rising tides could pose a threat to farming, which has always been a part of coastal Virginia's economy. Sam Turken reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
As leaders around the world search for cleaner energy solutions to fight climate change, a question has emerged: Could hydrogen be the clean fuel of the future? Planes, trains, cars and buses need lighter and longer-lasting power than batteries can provide, some scientists say. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien explores the possibilities of hydrogen-powered engines and whether they can deliver. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
We can still fight the worst of climate change, former Secretary of State John Kerry says. At an event sponsored by the Center for Global Development, anchor Judy Woodruff spoke with Kerry, the first presidential envoy on climate, about the cost of climate change, U.S. progress on climate goals and whether Congress will give money to help poorer countries adapt to the changing planet. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
It was 50 years ago this weekend that giant pandas were first brought to the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington. The historic program with China has fostered a collaboration between scientists and led to a conservation success story for the once endangered species. Geoff Bennett takes an up close look at these popular and precious animals. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei set a new record for the single longest spaceflight by an American after spending 355 days in orbit and surpassing the record held by retired astronaut Scott Kelly. Geoff Bennett recently spoke with Vande Hei about his journey in space and the adjustment on the ground since returning to Earth on March 30. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change laid out its latest report Monday stressing the critical need to implement dramatic cuts in greenhouse gasses to head off the worst impacts of climate change. Dave Roberts writes a newsletter and hosts a podcast called "Volts," which covers clean energy and the politics of climate policy. He joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
American astronaut Mark Vande Hei returned to Earth Wednesday from the International Space Station along with two fellow Russian cosmonauts. He was in space for 355 straight days, longer than any American yet. But attention will return to private efforts Thursday as Blue Origin, the rocket company founded by Jeff Bezos, will launch its latest human flight. Miles O'Brien reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed a second booster shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines for those over 50. It also applies to younger people with badly weakened immune systems. The move came as vaccinations have slowed markedly and as a new version of the omicron variant is spreading. William Brangham joins Judy Woodruff to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The past few years have led to record wildfires across the U.S. Decades of suppressing fires has led to overgrown forests, and a warming climate has increased their intensity and frequency. Christopher Booker reports from California on community-led efforts to preemptively set controlled fires, reducing the risk from large out-of-control fires while also restoring the ecological health of the forest. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
President Biden and the European Union on Friday announced new plans to enable Europe to become less dependent on Russian oil and gas. But for now, the Russian invasion has opened up much larger questions over our dependence on fossil fuels and the need to develop cleaner renewable energy. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien reports on how and why geothermal energy is attracting new interest. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Lawmakers joined President Biden at the White House Tuesday to celebrate the signing of a $1.5 trillion government funding bill that will provide money for an array of items, most notably the military and aid to Ukraine. But despite this victory the White House is upset by the loss of major COVID money. Amna Nawaz joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the details. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
It is now more than two years since the WHO declared the COVID-19 emergency a pandemic, and last week the death toll topped 6 million people worldwide. While the U.S. in many ways appears to have moved into a new phase of the pandemic, the virus remains lethal for many. Ed Yong, a staff writer at The Atlantic who won a Pulitzer Prize for his pandemic reporting, joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Off the coast of Antarctica, deep underwater, researchers have discovered the British ship called "Endurance," the vessel that launched one of the most remarkable stories of survival and determination. William Brangham reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Livestock production--primarily cows--produce 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The majority of that is in the form of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that is a natural byproduct of how some livestock process food. But as Christopher Booker reports, scientists are hoping that small tweaks in what cows eat can dramatically reduce a big source of climate emissions. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Cognitive neuroscientist and author Daniel Levitin wrote a bestselling book, "Successful Aging," in which he gave plenty of tips on the best ways to grow old, including learning new things. Now, he is putting his own advice into practice - with a little help from his noteworthy friends. Special Correspondent Mike Cerre reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
There's grim new reports about potential causes and effects of climate change. The United Nations Environment Program has projected intense wildfires linked in part to climate change could increase 50 percent by the end of the century, and the International Energy Agency said energy sector emissions of methane are 70 percent higher than governments claim. William Brangham reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
It's often said that there's no place like home. But what if that home was built with a 3D printer? Only a handful of people in the U.S. currently live in these types of houses, but some believe this will soon change because of 3D-printing technology's potential to reduce construction times and costs. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The families of nine victims in the Sandy Hook School shooting agreed to settle with gun-maker Remington for $73 million. The company made the Bushmaster AR-15-style rifle used to kill 20 first-graders and six teachers in 2012 in Newtown, Connecticut and the families sued over the weapon's marketing. John Yang reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The so-called megadrought that is afflicting the American West is the worst in 1,200 years, according to a study published this week. It has dried up water supplies, threatened ranchers and fueled wildfires. Park Williams, the lead author of the study just published in the journal Nature Climate Change, joins William Brangham with more. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Scientists have recently discovered what they are calling a silent outbreak of coronavirus among white-tailed deer. William Brangham reports about how one of the most ubiquitous species in North America contracted COVID, and what that means for the future of the pandemic. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Omicron-fueled surge is slowing down in many parts of the U.S., but is still setting records nationally and internationally. While new cases in Russia broke records, many cities around the world are seeing mass protests against vaccine mandates even as countries start easing restrictions. ProPublica's reporter Caroline Chen joins to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Two years since the first lockdown in China, there have been great strides to combat COVID-19, but confusion and questions remain. From vaccinations to testing, to masking and how many days to isolate--there hasn't always been clarity. More collaboration between the CDC and the FDA would help, says Joshua Sharfstein, professor at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In order to expand testing access and help stop the spread of the omicron variant, the Biden administration announced this week that it would begin distributing millions of COVID-19 tests and masks to Americans for free. Infectious disease epidemiologist Jessica Malaty Rivera joins for more on the rollout of this plan and its potential impact, the latest public health recommendations, and what the future of COVID-19 may hold. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Verizon and AT&T are forging ahead with their plan to switch to new high speed 5G service nationwide -- but with an important exception near U.S. airports and runways. Those exceptions were made Tuesday because of fears that the new technology could interfere with plane technology and potentially impact landings. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien unpacks the details. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Starting Saturday, private insurers are required to cover the cost of up to eight at-home testing kits, while those without insurance can get a free kit from the federal government. Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases rose by another 800,000 across the U.S. Hospitals are filling up even as deaths have risen at a slower pace. Dr. Jeremy Faust, an emergency room physician at Brigham and Women's hospital joins from Boston. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The worst drought in decades is gripping eastern Africa -- parching landscapes, killing livestock and creating a humanitarian crisis. Driven by climate change, it's also leading to civil strife, as shepherding communities battle each other for scarce resources. Special correspondent Jack Hewson and producer Georgina Smith report from the Wajir province of northern Kenya. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The world's most powerful telescope unfurled its final mirror today as it sped away to its final destination one million miles from earth. NASA completed the final step of the Webb telescope's difficult two-week initiation process Saturday, unfolding the final 21-foot piece: its 'golden eye.' NPR science correspondent Joe Palca joins Hari Sreenivasan to explain more about the telescope, its design, and its purpose. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Like Flint before it, Benton Harbor, Michigan, is in the midst of a water crisis. The water flowing through the city's pipes and into homes is not safe to consume because of the risk of lead exposure. There are more than 9,000 residents in this small community, most of them Black. More than 40% of residents live below the poverty line. But while locals wait for a long term solution, many in the Benton Harbor community are stepping up to help, including delivering bottled water door to door. Michael Hill reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
While kids across the U.S. will wake up tomorrow looking for gifts under the tree, NASA is hoping to celebrate with its own Christmas present a little higher up. The launch of their James Webb Space Telescope is slated for 7:20 am EST Saturday, setting up an unprecedented window into the cosmos. As science correspondent Miles O'Brien reports, NASA is hoping to unlock mysteries of the universe. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
From gas-guzzling tour buses to concession stands loaded with single-use plastic water bottles, concert tours aren't exactly easy on the environment. But now, a movement to make touring more climate-friendly is empowering musicians to not only talk about issues like climate change, but actually take action. Special Correspondent Tom Casciato reports on a non-profit working to turn the music industry green. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In the aftermath of last Friday's deadly tornado outbreak, federal emergency officials say they are bracing for more severe and more frequent weather disasters, raising questions about whether there's a link between climate change and tornadoes. While scientists are confident that climate change is increasing natural disasters, causality is trickier in the case of tornadoes. John Yang reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Colorado River is a critical resource for the western U.S. But a megadrought, one significantly exacerbated by climate change, is jeopardizing the river's future and threatening to upend how its water is used and longstanding agreements between states. Miles O'Brien reports as part of our coverage on how climate change is creating a "Tipping Point" for the U.S. and around the world. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
NASA has launched a satellite into orbit on a mission to smash itself into an asteroid, in a test to see whether it is possible to knock a speeding space rock off course -- if one were on a collision course with Earth. The asteroid targeted in this case is not a threat to our planet. To break it all down, Amna Nawaz is joined by science correspondent Miles O'Brien. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
More than seven million Californians live within a mile of an oil or gas well, which studies show can create silent health hazards. Now, there are efforts to put more distance between people and pollutants. NewsHour Weekend Special Correspondent Tom Casciato has the story, beginning in the small city of Arvin. This story is part of our ongoing series, Peril and Promise: The Challenge of Climate Change. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Gulf of Maine is one of the fastest-warming bodies of saltwater on the planet. In Portland, Maine, sea levels are expected to rise 10 to 17 inches by 2030 from the levels in 2000. Christopher Booker reports on how the city is trying to adapt to climate change as flooding from sea level rise increases. The story is part of our ongoing initiative, Peril & Promise: The Challenge of Climate Change. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders